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I am not working with Source anymore. I am currently implementing all the basic interfaces und functionality we need in UDK. Some wanting to help implement a R.P.O.S. like HUD/Interface system? If so, please send me a pm. Progress is not very fast, but steady.

I am currently backing up my entire PC in preparation to migrate to Windows 7. Among other things, it will allow me to use a virtual machine to run Neocron in and actually boost my performance on my current hardware.

After I cry myself to sleep a few nights when I realize I lost some file that cannot be replaced, I will have a fresh slate, so to speak and can download and start hammering away at learning the UDK. It seems very similar to most other dev kits that I have worked with, with an emphasis on mesh usage over brushes. Could be a problem, unless they have some way of making meshes easy to make. That was a big complaint of mine in Source, meshes had a long and arduous development process.

Anyhow, I want to make a map for this project. At least one. If R2 is still developing the gameplay mechanics, then I will give us a world to kill each other in. Hopefully, Biglines will give us some toys to get the job done.

Well, to be honest, i spent the last two days rewriting parts of the code and watching "the big bang theory". The HUD is now making use of scaleform which really simplifies some things as soon as you get the hang out of it and it got some cool features which i would like to make use of in the future.

Yeah Whitestuff, that's right, UDK/U3-Engine uses a more model based approach. I like it

I will take care of coding and organising the "who does what"-thingy, so no two people are working on the same thing or at least are working together on the same thing. So if someone wants to help, just drop me a line, tell me about your skills and we will find something suitable.

As for content creation it is enough to install the March UDK. Why March? Cause i am using the March version for coding and we want to avoid fiddling around with version conflicts. There won't be anything placeable in the near future (apart from the static meshes), so the plain March UDK is really enough for mapping and content creation. For anyone interested in content creation have a look: here.

well the static models I made should be able to export to udk pretty easily once I figure it out, seeing as it should just need an exporter and an importer.

for mapping simple proportions of existing neocron areas, you could photo-project from screenshots in sketchup, it's very easy to get pretty much exact proportions, which you can then refine in a proper/different modelling program. I have a large portion of p3 or 4 (can't remember which, the one connected to PP1) blocked out in sketchup somewhere.

Seems like today is a good day for doing some community work. I have finally decided to take lead of the project, even though this decision might upset a few people. I apologize for that, but there is no point in continuing this project without lead.

The project is now codenamed: "The Ceres Project". I have set up a forum for development and especially bug tracking, but this will be kept private until i have set up a new team.

The current state of the project?
Well, the code for the first playtesting version is basicly set up, but there is no NC-specific content apart from the class definitions. The first playtesting version will focus on tank vs spy gameplay to investigate the stat calculations and to set up the stat calculation formulas (-> the impact of stats on resists, on body health, on aiming, damage, etc).
So, yes, we are not far from starting the first test, but we are still very far from completion.

What are the plans for the near future?
First of all i will invite some people to discuss the gameplay of the first playtesting version, which weapons should be included, how should things like resists, health and such be calculated, etc.
As soon as we can agree on at least some points, i will start altering the code, so it reflects our definition of gameplay. That shouldn't take too long.
After that we will start the internal pre-pre-alpha playtesting.

Why is there no point: "Looking for moddellers/mappers/content creators"
Because as long as there is nothing reliable to show, it is useless searching for team members outside of this forum. As soon as we can publish the first alpha version which really shows some gameplay stuff, i will start searching for artists outside of this forum. If someone reading this forum/following this thread wants to join the project, drop me a line, tell me what you have created so far, what you feel comfortable with, how you think you can contribute to this project and be serious, ask yourself whether you really want to spend your free time on this. We do not need people who say they want to help, but never contribute.

a lot of that discussion was already on the wiki pages that were set up for the project, might want to look at that. I'm ok with you taking lead, glad someone finally does (I'd been acting as lead at the start, but as I kept saying, I simply don't have the time nor the programming experience to do it), but at least try to incorporate all the work that we already did on the gamedesign:

As I said before, if you have a framework for the gui, I can make you the flash interface. If you need models, let me know, I'll get on either placeholder models or start on final models. I finished the psi gloves for you a while back, but I think that was around the switch was made to UDK, so that might be why they werent used yet.

let me know what's most important, content/art wise, I'd prefer to start on player/weapon models, and leave the world models to people that start mapping (although I'll try to export all the world models I made to udk files).

- potted plant from p1 etc (modelled and textured)
- chairs from p1 (modelled and temporary texture)
- vendor desk (modelled and temporary texture)
- Gogo (modelled and semi-temporary texture, could be used or improved)
- genrep (modelled and semi-temporary texture, could be used or improved)
- Advertisement frame (modelled and semi-temporary texture, could be used or improved)

- Silent Hunter (Viewmodel modelled, textured and animated, can be used once exported)
- Disruptor (Viewmodeled modelled, animated, has a temporary texture that needs to be redone)
- Psi glove (temporary viewmodel, needs to be redone, but has animation)

- a large block of p3/p4, in model space, would need conversion to concave brushes in source, no idea if it can be used already in UDK.

Someone (name escapes me, either rambus or the other guy), made the subway map, dunno if it can be converted, would need custom textures I think.
Also I think p1 was started on, but probably needs to be redone in UDK.

also, I think there's a blog somewhere out that that has the real neocron damage system, maybe you can use that as a base, although I'm not sure if it's smart to already start with so much variety in a stats system.

Surely we will mostly follow the path already scetched in the wiki. First introducing a deathmatch mod with all the classes being balanced.

Even though i prefer using the new forum for discussions i would like to use the wiki to sum the results up and use it as a base of information for the community.

In case of modeling we do not need extra viewmodels anymore, the 1fst person view now makes use of the 3rd person functionality, you can now see your arms, legs, etc., but the aiming is still a little bit off, haven't adjusted that yet.

We don't need to redo the basic animations, you just need to set up the skeleton right and then we can use the animations supplied with the UDK, for free

The NC-like skill system is already set up, it's now only a matter of defining what depends on what and how, which is gameplay related stuff which has to be discussed first.

Most important are the weapons (plasma rifles, beam rifles, bullet using rifles).

for some reason the march udk doesnt download beyond the first 100mb or so, I've tried with download managers, normal download, vpn etc, just doesn't wannt download. is it bad to just use the newest sdk?

In case of content development you can also use newer versions of the UDK if it's really not possible to download the march one. Shouldn't make too much of a difference.

As for weapon models, as i said before, one of every type, plasma rifle (e.g. first love, disruptor), beam rifle (e.g. healing light), bullet-shooting rifles (e.g. one of the noob rifles, plz not the ak, that's a weapon you see in every game, it's boring).

Polycount somewhere around 2500. 3000 would also be ok. Have a look at the 3rd person meshes UDK uses.

For people interested in content development: i moved everything to the newest UDK, the june UDK, so mappers can now profit from the new foliage thingy and everything else Epic added during the last three months.